Kicking goals for sport

SPORTS participation is soaring on the Bellarine. To keep pace with demand, we’re delivering vital facility upgrades to ensure our clubs and community groups have the chance to thrive.

More athletes than ever before are picking up a racquet, bat or ball in the Bellarine, with some of our much-loved sports reserves at capacity.

According to the Ocean Grove Sporting Infrastructure Plan 2025 (OGSIP), several clubs in the region have been struggling to meet demand due to limitations of existing facilities.

In the past five years, baseball, AFL, soccer and netball have experienced huge growth. Soccer participation is up 77 per cent in the region – truly kicking goals!

AFL continues to be the dominant sporting code on the Bellarine, and participation is still on the rise, increasing 49 per cent from 2019 to 2024.

Ocean Grove Football Club and the Cobras Junior Football Club have more than 1,000 players on the ground throughout the season.

To enable the continued growth of sports participation, the OGSIP identifies opportunities to improve infrastructure across six reserves: Wallington, Shell Road, Memorial, Collendina, Devlins Road and Arthur Powell reserves.

These reserves are nearing or at capacity or require additional works to meet the changing needs of our population.

Ocean Grove and Wallington are growing at a steady rate, with a population forecast to reach around 24,000 residents by 2035. So, the infrastructure we’re building today is designed to account for the many athletes who will call our region home over the coming decades.

I’m very proud to see upgrades to meet future demand being delivered right on our doorstep in Wallington.

Construction has begun on a major upgrade of Wallington Reserve pavilion, home to the Bellarine Bears Baseball Club and Wallington Cricket Club.

While many residents make use of the reserve, its pavilion has not kept pace with demand and doesn’t offer female-friendly and accessible changerooms.

Both clubs have growing all-abilities programs, so access to these facilities is crucial to ensure continued participation, accessibility and inclusion for all.

Everyone in our community should have the opportunity to participate in sport, so I’m proud the City is redeveloping the pavilion.

The $4.25 million project will deliver two brand new compliant changerooms, accessible toilets, a kitchen, canteen and social space, without the narrow doorways and walkways, steps and door handles that currently challenge accessibility.

The City will contribute up to $3.25 million in funding to this upgrade, with a further $1 million provided from the Victorian Government’s Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund.

As Council’s Health portfolio chair, I value the positive outcomes that sports have on our community’s health and wellbeing, so I’m thrilled to see investment into our sports facilities in the Bellarine.

The works at Wallington Reserve are the next chapter for sports in our region, ensuring our future athletes have a welcoming, safe and inclusive place to play, while encouraging our community to come together and cheer on the sidelines.

I look forward to seeing more exciting outcomes in response to the OGSIP and the continued growth of sport for our region.

Cr Rowan Story

Murradoc Ward,

City of Greater Geelong